Alonso compares Verstappen’s 2025 season to his own 2012 fight for the title with a car lacking true performance.
Fernando Alonso understands the pressure Max Verstappen is under this season. After Verstappen’s victory in Japan, where he outperformed the favored McLarens, Alonso believes the Red Bull driver has achieved success despite driving a car that isn’t as competitive as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s McLaren MCL39s.
Alonso sees Verstappen’s Red Bull RB21 as the third or fourth fastest car on the grid, drawing a comparison to his own experience in 2012 when his Ferrari was consistently outpaced by the Red Bulls and McLarens. However, it’s important to note that Verstappen has been able to challenge the McLarens in both qualifying and the race, while Ferrari and Mercedes struggled to keep up with the front trio.
“I’ve been in his shoes,” Alonso commented. “I fought for the World Championship with what was arguably the third or fourth fastest car. In the end, it’s tough, just like it was for me to battle against Sebastian Vettel. I hope Max can keep up the fight until the end, but Red Bull needs to improve their car a bit.”
In 2012, Alonso finished just three points behind Sebastian Vettel, and now, reflecting on the challenge Verstappen faces, he explained: “He’s already won four titles, so now he can push harder with a slightly less competitive car. But yes, it’s tough. People don’t realize how challenging it really is.”
Alonso further elaborated on the high demands of racing at that level: “You have to be perfect every weekend, and that’s what Max is doing right now. It reminds me of my 2012 season in a way—when the car wasn’t that great, but we fought for the championship. To win in the end? We’ll see. I hope for his sake he can make it.”
Ferrari team principal, Frédéric Vasseur, mentioned that the 2025 season would be a championship of qualifying, but Alonso disagrees with that perspective. According to him, the real issue at Suzuka was similar to the one in Monaco: a track that offers intense qualifying action but doesn’t provide many opportunities for overtakes during the race.
“Suzuka is Suzuka. I don’t remember a race here where we saw many overtakes unless the weather changed. It seems like every Thursday we talk about how great Suzuka is, how amazing Monaco is—the glamour, the spectacular weekend,” Alonso remarked.
“And then on Sunday, we wake up and think, ‘Monaco is boring, Suzuka is boring.’ That’s Formula 1. Suzuka is great because Saturday is full of adrenaline. Maybe the one-stop strategy didn’t deliver the race we were hoping for.”
Alonso also reflected on the complaints about tire performance: “When we don’t have enough grip, we complain about that. When we have too many pit stops, we complain that the tires aren’t performing well enough. We complain about the tires not lasting. Instead of focusing on the negative, I try to appreciate the experience we had this weekend.”
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Alonso: Verstappen Must Be Perfect Every Weekend in 2025 Alonso: Verstappen Must Be Perfect Every Weekend in 2025